Silver Dust
by One Thousand Ways
Summary: Empathy is something they try to teach everyone but when Danny and Sam swap bodies neither of them were ready for this. DS
1. Even if you don't understand it

Silver Dust

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this.

Empathy is something they try to teach everyone but when Danny and Sam swap bodies neither of them were ready for this. D/S

Chapter 1: Even if you don't understand it

Sam barely ducked in time to avoid the torn out tree that flew overhead. Dust, dirt, and rocks rained down on her and she covered her head with her arms.

"Sam!" Danny Phantom called out urgently from his place about thirty feet up in the sky.

He'd barely went intangible himself in enough time to avoid the uprooted plant only to see it on a collision course toward his best friends—well best friend. Tucker had wisely bolted the first time Danny ordered him to. His eyes darted over the dirt covered area searching frantically. Sam stood up after a minute, her black clothes becoming visible as the cloud of gray dirt cleared. She was coughing and sneezing but she was okay. Danny turned back to the frizzy haired red headed ghost with determination flashing in his neon green eyes.

"That tree thing is officially getting old." He said feeling a tingling sensation in his hand as he charged up an ecto-blast.

The ghost before him reached into her ruined colonial times skirt and pulled out a handful a silver dust. She put on a crooked smile just as Danny threw off the blast and she vanished before it hit her.

"Great." Danny hissed under his breath, his eyes searching. She was still here. He just couldn't pinpoint where.

"Sam," He turned in the air hovering down a few feet so he could better see the goth girl.

She had the Fenton thermos strapped over her shoulder and was still wiping the dust out of her eyes but she turned at the sound of her name.

'She's going to get herself killed.' He replayed the incident before hand in his mind repressing a shudder as he realized just how close that was.

"Get out of here! It's too dangerous!" He yelled, partly making up for the distance between them, partly angry.

"I'm fine." She protested giving up on her face and crossing her arms over her chest. Danny always tried to get her to leave, every time. There wasn't much she had part in doing during ghost hunting anyway, at least she could have the nerve to stay instead of running out of here like everyone else. She wasn't _useless_.

Danny coughed up a blue mist and glanced around urgently. Why did his friend have to be so stubborn? Couldn't she understand he was just trying to keep her safe? He'd never forgive himself if she was hurt.

"Get out of here Sam!" He tried again only to be plagued by the problems of quick thinking. "You're more trouble than you're worth!" The minute the words left his mouth he knew that was far from the idea he had intended.

Sam stared at him, her eyes still watery from the dust and clouded with an emotion he couldn't pinpoint—shock, disbelief, confusion, anger….hurt. Danny immediately berated himself for yelling at her like that but she had to get out of here. That ghost already demonstrated it wasn't going to bother for the safety of innocents that got in his way. Sam glanced down and bit her lip amazed at how a simple sentence hit her so hard.

'Ouch.' Was all she could think. 'Ouch! That was totally uncalled for.' She was glad the dust had made her eyes watery because if they weren't before they would be now. "Fine!" Glancing back up at him, she slipped off the Fenton Thermos and threw it up in the air with enough force it could have knocked him unconscious had he been closer. "You are officially on your own!"

She turned on the heels of her boots to make her infamous angry exit but stopped short when a silhouette slowly appeared in front of her.

"Danny!" She called out despite the fact that she problem wouldn't have otherwise talked to him for a day.

The colonial times ghost gave another crooked smile and chanted something in a language Sam had never heard before. "Nosaer a rof sneppah gnihtyreve. Ti dnatsrednu tonod uoy fi neve."

Sam stumbled back transfixed on the figure ahead of her. The ghost withdrew the dust and before Sam could react, the ghost blew it on her. It brought a sensation as if she were incased in ice and she closed her eyes unable to focus on anything.

Danny watched in horror as the ghost vanished and Sam slowly lit up to a blinding white. He darted down at near breakneck speed calling her name. She reached out for him but when their hands touched everything went white, and then the darkest shade of black either of them had ever seen.

Sam woke up slowly in processions and the first thing she recognized was the unfamiliar roof above her. The bright light coming in caused her to squint.

'Danny's room.' She thought as the room came into clear view. 'They must have kept me here for the night.'

She put a hand to her head trying to calm her pounding migraine and didn't even bother to question her brain at this point. There was a surprised gasp next to her and Sam turned in time to see the orange haired teen stop in the doorway.

"You're awake." Jazz said sounding oddly relieved and she immediately crossed the room to Sam's bed side.

"I don't even remember going to sleep." Her voice sounded rougher than usual and Sam did her best to sit up and look at the Fenton female but she felt fairly drained of energy.

"You're lucky you woke up now. Any longer and Mom and Dad would have dragged you to the emergency room."

"Oh." Was all Sam could say. She vaguely remembered having a fight with Danny, and being confronted by the ghost but then it was all a blur. "Where are the guys?"

Jazz looked puzzled for a mere second but helped her up to her feet. "Tuck and Sam are in the other room. Sam hasn't woken up yet though. Are you sure you're feeling okay?"

Sam stood on her own without Jazz's help but the girl never let go. Okay, she could handle Jazz saying Mom and Dad instead of just my parents, but Sam is in the other room? She was Sam, and she didn't know of any other Sam. An idea popped in her head and she slowly looked down to her clothes. Jeans, and a white tee shirt.

Sucking in a breath she promised she wouldn't freak out. She would not freak out. She. Would. Not. Freak. Out.

Well, maybe just a little.

0000

Authors note: Ha, first chapter done. I'm surprised I'm writing a Danny Phantom fic but it is the result of some Saturday marathon of the thing and nothing else on. But don't worry, I'll give this a decent shot. By the way, I noticed there was one like this already but I was already on the third or fourth chapter. This fic is prewritten, already done so you don't have to worry about me finishing it. See my bio for details.

I like feedback on whether or not it is confusing or the writing style or just to know I'm not talking to myself. Oh, kind of important. In effort not confuse anyone, including myself after they swap body's it will be Danny's violet eyes even though technically it is Sam's purple eyes. Anyway, little clip from next chapter:

Sam looked at her body—how odd that was to say—unconscious on the bed. It didn't take a genius to figure out that if she was in Danny's body, he was in hers. She immediately marched up to the bed and flicked Danny on the forehead ignoring Tucker's confused 'hey!'. Without a moment to spare her purple eyes, or at least currently Danny's purples eyes fluttered open in a haze of confusion and sleep.

"Good morning sleeping beauty."


	2. Just awkward Real real awkward

Silver Dust

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this.

Empathy is something they try to teach everyone but when Danny and Sam swap bodies neither of them were ready for this. D/S

Chapter 2: Just awkward. Real real awkward

Sam did her best to keep her voice calm and gently shoved Jazz off her even though she felt like she would collapse.

"Can I talk to them alone for a minute?" She asked tilting her head up to focus on the door Jazz was leading her to.

The redheaded teen looking cautious for a moment and a little hurt but nodded reluctantly. Sam took another breath and strode into the bedroom. She had had worse things happen to her, stranger things. Okay, maybe not this strange. Awkward—awkward was the correct word. Tucker was on the edge of the bed doing something with his beloved PDA and looked up at her. Or her in Danny's body.

"Hey man your awake." He slipped his PDA in his pocket and stood up. "Are you okay? I found you both unconscious in the park—ghost attack?"

Sam nodded mutely then looked over at the bed while deciding how to go about this. First thing first.

"Danny?" Tucker asked clearly confused about her behavior.

"I'm not Danny." She said bluntly not even bothering to glance his way.

Sam looked at her body—how odd that was to say—unconscious on the bed. It didn't take a genius to figure out that if she was in Danny's body, he was in hers. She immediately marched up to the bed and flicked Danny on the forehead ignoring Tucker's confused 'hey!'. Without a moment to spare her purple eyes, or at least currently Danny's purples eyes fluttered open in a haze of confusion and sleep.

"Good morning sleeping beauty."

Danny blinked. Once. Twice, three times. He sat up so fast Sam had to jump back to avoid another migraine from cracking skulls. Danny immediately looked down at his body. And then he screamed.

Satisfied but still wincing from the shrill scream now that Danny was in a girl's body, Sam backed off to a wall. Tucker had frozen completely transfixed on Danny with a horrible expression.

"Trying to wake the dead you two? I just think the glass on my PDA cracked. What is going on?"

"I'd sure like to know that too." Danny said gulping. "Why am I in Sam's body?"

Tucker's ears perked and he looked between the two. Danny's 'body' was posted against the wall with folded arms while Sam's 'body' sat there almost helplessly.

"The same reason I'm in yours." Sam spoke quietly than gaining volume as she went on. "I think it was that ghost witch that did this. Swapped our bodies I mean."

Danny watched her listening with an attention span that was amazing.

"You're kidding. How do I know this isn't a joke?" Tucker strode over and poked Sam's arm like it would change.

"I don't think I'd lie about something—hey!" Sam started but caught Danny out of her peripheral vision.

Danny flinched a second before having a sly smile on his face.

"This is so weird, I have a chest, and hips!" A slight blush tinted both Danny and Sam's cheeks but Sam didn't take long to snap out of it when Tucker burst out laughing.

"Knock it off, we have to find a way to get this undone. If this isn't fixed soon I'm going to have to dress you gothic."

"Yeah," Tucker said wiping off a tear of laughter trying to get a hold of himself, "I definitely believe you."

Danny avoided Sam's eyes by looking over to Tucker and muttering something to the extent of 'thanks for the support.'

"Well, while you guys figure that out you do know we have finals tomorrow. No skipping allowed." Tucker finally stood up with the rest of the concerned teens.

Sam's face drained of color and she repressed another panic attack. "I studied really hard for those finals. What is everyone going to think when I bomb them!"

"Hey!" Called a offended Danny who took a minute to register what she was implying. "I'll get a C lowest."

Sam waved him off and dropped down on the bed next to him not forgetting to slouch her shoulders. Danny gave her a pat on the back for what it was worth and focused back on what was at hand.

"We'll try to fix it and if worse comes to worse we'll just act like each other." Danny tried to reason, and Sam nodded.

"Yeah, I guess. It shouldn't be hard to be you. Distract your parents by saying the word ghost, telling Jazz to leave you alone, avoiding Dash, and swooning over Paulina. No offense Danny."

He arched an eyebrow and smiled at her but didn't say anything.

"Plus, my parents aren't even home so you don't have to worry about them. Just don't talk to anybody at school." She added as an afterthought.

"Are you kidding me, this is so friggin' hilarious." Tucker said earning glares from his friends but he couldn't take off the smug look. "Isn't it awkward being a girl Danny?"

Danny hadn't been out of the bed, but he already knew it felt awkward from the minute he wanted to cross his arms over his chest. He focused on the bed sheets trying not to have a blush come up on his face. Besides that though…

"It isn't to bad. I feel freakishly light and the long hair keeps brushing against my shoulder."

Tucker smiled but held his tongue looking for Sam to add anything. "It doesn't feel bad. Just awkward. Real real awkward."

000

The first 3 chapters are them figuring this out. Reviewer replies even though there were only three but I am horribly bored so...

Sam-n-Danny: Thanks for reviewing. This whole fic is pre-written so it just invovles me posting the chapters.

Summers Rage: Same thing I told Sam-n-Danny but I'll also note you have a really cool pen name(random)

Wolffeather: I love that line, I'm going to die in a skirt, but I didn't actually think to put it in here. I did my best to make it funny but I wrote it the same week I was being pounded by Hurricane Wilma so I wasn't always in the best-inspired mood when I wrote it.

Clip from next chapter:

Sam walked Danny to his doorstep and after a minute of thinking led him to her original room. It was a mansion, and she didn't have a map.

"Just avoiding eating meat, and we will figure out this going ghost thing later." She said hesitantly taking Danny's hand.

It was just a gesture of friendship as she was leading him somewhere but she wished it wasn't. As a note to self, she reminded herself to pick up her diary before she left. She did not want him snooping if he got bored.

They both arrived at the room after traveling the empty house that was deserted when the butler and maids left around seven.

"Kitchen is down the hall, um, bathroom next door—" She attempted to think of things he would need, but Danny interrupted her; his face lit up pink.

"Sam, if I am in your body. How exactly am I going to shower?"

Sam paused, thought it through, and then a horrifying realization sunk it. She hasn't thought of that.


	3. Mind outta the gutter

Silver Dust

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this.

Empathy is something they try to teach everyone but when Danny and Sam swap bodies neither of them were ready for this. D/S

Chapter 3: Mind outta the gutter

The teens spent the next while trying to piece together different things including how this could have happened, and mainly how they were going to get out of it. Sam was amazed they managed to get used to this so quick—maybe not the actual moving of the bodies but the mere idea that this was even happening. It was probably due to Danny's ghost powers because right now if she saw a trampoline talking to her about going to George Washington's birthday party next week she wouldn't be amazed.

"We can't go into the ghost zone tonight, my parents are down there testing out there new gadget! There is no way we could distract them long enough for all of us to go searching for one ghost if she is in there at all." Danny said staring off to the side to contemplate.

"Tomorrow we get out early." Sam threw in pulling at her loose shirt.

Tucker nodded already mumbling off the details before his PDA gave out a buzzing noise.

"I don't know about you two but I've got to get home. My parents will flip if I miss curfew again." Tucker looked up and couldn't help but grin at them both.

They might think of it as a crisis but he thought it was waking hilarious. Plus, maybe they'd both get it through their thick heads and ask each other out.

"Yeah Tuck, we'll walk you out. I probably have to –" Danny began and paused trying to think out how to phrase it, "go home too."

Sam picked up her bag that would now be Danny's which Tucker had been nice enough to pick up after he found it in the park. Sam had been on her way to study when the colonial ghost attack happened, then she ran to help Danny and it went from there.

"You'll need this," She told him and passed the bag over.

Danny suddenly smiled, an idea (that Sam didn't like the looks of) popping into his head. He immediately gripped the bag a second later shaking whatever that thought was off. The trio walked out and before Danny could holler "Walking Tuck and Sam home, be back soon" Tuck elbowed him and Sam pulled off the best impression of Danny she could.

They dropped off Tucker first and he made them promise if anything came up to call. Down about five minutes away was Sam's house.

Sam walked Danny to his doorstep and after a minute of thinking led him to her original room. It was a mansion, and she didn't have a map.

"Just avoiding eating meat, and we will figure out this going ghost thing later." She said hesitantly taking Danny's hand.

It was just a gesture of friendship as she was leading him somewhere but she wished it wasn't. As a note to self, she reminded herself to pick up her diary before she left. She did not want him snooping if he got bored.

They both arrived at the room after traveling the empty house that was deserted when the butler and maids left around seven.

"Kitchen is down the hall, um, bathroom next door—" She attempted to think of things he would need, but Danny interrupted her; his face lit up pink.

"Sam, if I am in your body. How exactly am I going to shower?"

Sam paused, thought it through, and then a horrifying realization sunk it. She hasn't thought of that. How would Danny shower in her body? How would he even change? Given that she had the same problem Danny was in her body—her female body and Danny was a guy. She trusted him but that was a problem-- he was a _guy_.

Sam turned her back to Danny trying to calm down for she could feel her face burn under her fingertips.

"Hold on," She said breathing. One. Two. Three. Calm down. One. Two. Three—choke—okay screw it.

She walked over to Danny and grabbed her bag popping out her cell. Danny watched in confusion as she scrolled down to his number and dialed.

"Hey Dad, um I was wondering if I could stay at Sam's house for the night—huh? No, uh, she is helping me study for the finals. Yeah, I did all my chores. Tucker? Sure, he's here too." Sam didn't like to lie but she was just rolling stuff off her tongue now. Danny watched knowingly trying to refrain from smiling as he heard his father give him the usual interrogation. After a minute she sighed and flipped the phone shut.

"We aren't really going to study are we?"

Sam shook her head, "Nah. I just needed to be here because if my body goes to tomorrow looking like a hooker…" She left it off there.

Danny cautiously flattened out his skirt. He was glad to have gotten off the subject earlier. Sure, he thought about it before, randomly and briefly. What Sam _looked_ like. He was a little curious, but if she caught him doing anything to her body he should fear for his life.

Then teens watched a movie and skimmed a few notes for class. Danny hadn't been to her house more than three times tops so he was amazed by the 'movie theater' she had down stairs. Around nine Sam suggested they go to sleep so 'we have plenty of time in the morning to compensate for this'. They both headed upstairs to Sam's room and Sam pulled out one of the most conservative nightgowns she had. Danny still had a few clothes left here from some random times and Sam tossed him her nightgown.

"Um." Danny looked down at the clothes, then up at her, then down at them, then up at her. He couldn't hide the fact that his heart was pounding and he didn't trust himself to say anything. On more than one occasion Danny thought of Sam as more than a best friend but he knew better. Nothing between them and he sure wasn't going to waste his friendship with her over something stupid like that.

"It's called change in the dark, and Fenton, leave the bra and panties _on_." Sam flicked off the light sounding threatening as she spoke.

She'd never pictured she'd have to say that to him—well maybe….'Mind outta the gutter Sam. Mind out of the gutter.' She screamed at herself mentally.

The room went pitch black and Danny pulled the black tank top off biting his tongue to keep from making any noise. Okay, shirt. Danny slid the top of the nightgown over his shoulder and buttoned it down the front almost drawing blood from his tongue as he buttoned the area over Sam—his chest.

'Get control of yourself Fenton, this is your best friend your thinking of.' He said finally finishing changing. Sam asked him if he was done and flicked on the light.

Sam pulled out a blue sleeping bag from under her bed and laid back on it. Danny offered her the bed but she said considering he was in her body he should have it. Danny could be real nice sometimes—all the time if he wasn't trying to be popular or swooning over Paulina. Paulina—ek, bad taste in her mouth. They mumbled off a few words and the two feel asleep.

00

Clip from next chapter:

Danny walked in a near stagger as he tried to make out the number of doors he passed in the darkness. Sam said it was on the same floor. He stopped hesitating at first before popping into a room relieved when he found the kitchen. It was cool having a mansion but not when you got lost trying to get a drink of water at night. He picked up a glass and filled it with water at the faucet.

It was kind of creepy that no one was really home. Danny had never been left home alone by his parents because Jazz was usually always there. It was nice to have the house to yourself sometimes, but this was actually creepy. He sucked down the last drop and put the cup on the counter suddenly feeling chilly.

Danny turned to walk out when he felt someone grab his arm and twist him around pinning him against the fridge.


	4. Go out in public for one

Silver Dust

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this.

Empathy is something they try to teach everyone but when Danny and Sam swap bodies neither of them were ready for this. D/S

Chapter 4: Go out in public for one

Around one am, Danny walked in a near stagger as he tried to make out the number of doors he passed in the darkness. Sam said it was on the same floor. He stopped hesitating at first before popping into a room relieved when he found the kitchen. It was cool having a mansion but not when you got lost trying to get a drink of water at night. He picked up a glass and filled it with water at the faucet.

It was kind of creepy that no one was really home. Danny had never been left home alone by his parents because Jazz was usually always there. It was nice to have the house to yourself sometimes, but this was actually creepy. He sucked down the last drop and put the cup on the counter suddenly feeling chilly.

Danny turned to walk out when he felt someone grab his arm and twist him around pinning him against the refrigerator.

"Hey sweetheart. I usually don't hit girls, but today is a different story." Danny stared up at the tall silhouette trying to make out details desperately when he was punched.

'Shoot no ghost powers!' Danny cursed his luck and was picked up only to be slammed against the fridge again.

"What do you want!" He stammered out amazed at how his voice came out. Part of it reminded him of what Sam would sound like in danger but the bigger part made him realize that this guy wasn't going after him—he was waiting here for Sam.

Sam stared at the roof studying the pattern formed by small rays of light that trespassed through her blinds. Danny had gone down fifteen minutes ago, and it didn't take that long to grab a drink. The small kitchen on the second floor didn't even take a minute to get to.

'Probably got lost' She figured.

Weighing her options she decided while standing up and heading over to the kitchen. After living here so long she already had the number of steps memorized and noticed the kitchen door open. The thought of jumping out at him crossed her mind but not when she heard voices.

"What do you want!" Her voice.

"To do my job. Now hold still." Some guy's voice.

Sam slipped through the door pausing in the doorframe. She wasn't just hearing voices. Some guy did have her—sorry, Danny pinned down and he held a green ecto-blast in his right hand raised above him.

Danny's heart had stopped. This guy was going to kill him, dead, no coming back and Sam would have to live in his body for the rest of her life. He struggled but the firm grip on his shoulder was overpowering.

"Hey!" Sam called finding nothing other to say and before she could move the figure looked up, muttered something and disappeared completely.

The tension drained so quickly she felt like she would turn to water and go with it.

"Danny!" Sam finally snapped out of her trance and rushed to his side.

He was already struggling to get up but failing miserably. Sam caught him under the arm and lifted him into sitting position examining his face. There was a nasty bruise forming, a spilt lip from where he must have bit it, and he looked dazed-- but he was fine.

"Are you okay?" Danny asked her which would have made Sam laugh had it not been a serious situation considering Danny nearly died.

"I'm fine, he vanished once I walked in. What happened?"

Danny set a hand to his head trying to straighten out his thoughts. "I dunno, it must have been a ghost. Just grabbed me when I came in here. They were going to kill me—" Danny stopped in mid sentence and looked at Sam in the eyes. "He was trying to kill you! If you were alone he would have killed you."

Sam paused taking in this information. Danny had nearly died on many different occasions in the past but not like this. At least then he had a fighting chance but Sam(or Sam's body in this case) didn't have goes powers and would have been long gone. It disturbed her, but she could still feel Danny trembling from the close encounter. Sam took a minute picking out her words and finding an appropriate response.

"And if we didn't swap bodies I would be alone." She gave a weak nervous laugh standing up and extending a hand to Danny. "Guess this is a good thing."

Danny nodded taking her hand and even after he stood leading her back to the room he never let her hand go.

"I bet they were trying to get back at me—unless you have some ghost vendettas that you aren't telling me." He smiled at the last part in an attempt to lighten the atmosphere and she gave a short chuckle.

"Now that they know the great halfa is here they won't try again, so try not to worry about it Danny. Not even I am. Once we figure this stuff out we'll deal with it."

It bothered Danny severely, the incident. It was one thing if they went after him, at least that he could understand. But going after his friends of whom have no ghost powers in an attempt to kill—that was something he really needed to deal with. In the meantime though he let go of Sam's hand he hadn't even noticed he was holding and sat back on the bed.

"What would you do without me?" He said with mock pride and phased through the pillow Sam tossed at him.

"Go out in public for one."

Danny muttered a reply but Sam didn't hear him for she had already dropped off into darkness.

"Hold still!" Sam barked following that by a warning growl.

Her day had gone okay this morning. She woke up Danny early so they could hop in the Jacuzzi to avoid the shower scene for at least another day. She'd shaken his shoulder in effort to draw him from his slumber and by instinct he jerked up and cracked there heads together. From there Sam lost her balance on the bed and fell onto him so their lips were mere centimeters away—so close she could feel his breath on her. Sam of course snapped out of it, jerked back and apologized but Danny told her not to be sorry. It wasn't much, but hey a girl could dream.

They hopped in the Jacuzzi and changed into school clothes. Danny couldn't figure out how to work the bra's clasps in the darkness so she had to run over and help him. Then he made a kidding comment something to the extent of 'yeah, I'll have to remember how to get the bra off for the next time I spend a night alone with you'. She blushed and punched him in the arm but still got a laugh out of it.

Now it was just irritating. She was applying her usual black eyeliner on but he kept twitching.

"Does it usually take this long?" He whined remembering to keep his hand clasped in his lap.

He'd already accidentally rubbed off the eye makeup before and it reminded him why he was glad he was a guy.

"Not when I do it. Ten minutes top. Now if just let me finish—" She paused in mid sentence making one last stab at his eye before pulling back and examining her work.

Her body looked fairy decent, hair clothes and makeup wise but even with the concealed the black and blue bruise showed through. The spilt lip had already vanished behind purple lipstick. Almost as if he read her mind Danny reached up and rub his cheek.

"It doesn't fit." He said looking into the small mirror she'd let him use.

"Huh?"

"It doesn't fit your face. You shouldn't have a bruise. If things were normal I'd be all over the guy that gave you it." And he probably still would be when he got his ghost powers back.

It wasn't funny for a guy to hit a girl in the first place, and it definitely angered him when a guy would hit Sam. Sam…his best friend. 'Only best friend. Get any other thoughts out of your head Fenton, she probably isn't into you anyway.' He reminded himself but this morning that same relationship between him and Sam kept popping up.

"Aw that's sweet Danny." She smiled and held out a hand to help him up.

000

a/n: where have I been? Busy as all get out, but I finally got a break to post this. I didn't get a chance to proofread it for the second time, and it may geta little corny but cut me a break. Finals for college classes are horrible.

Clip from next chapter:

Paulina strode out of the bathroom swaying her hips and sent a triumphant glance back at Danny. Sam had been waiting for him outside the girls bathroom flipping through a few pages from her English book. She'd hope she made Danny's grade practical but she knew he wouldn't have a problem passing the class now. The only one she had trouble in was the class she didn't share with him, but even that she'd managed to half-ass and she was proud of herself. At least until the Latin high school queen stopped in front of her and that emotion faded quick enough.

"Hey Danny," Paulina cooed batting her eyes in a fashion Sam had seen all to often—just never directed at her. "I was wondering if you wanted to go to the Nasty Burger with me today?"

"Um…" Sam panicked. She was in Danny's body and had to play the part but this is Paulina—the girl she was hoping Danny would tear down since she'd ever met her!


	5. Since when?

Silver Dust

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this.

Empathy is something they try to teach everyone but when Danny and Sam swap bodies neither of them were ready for this. D/S

Chapter 5: Since when?

School was almost let out into the summer and that meant clear skies, cool breezes to go with the perfect weather and freedom and happiness for all students. Well, this particular day meant close up views of cracked sidewalks for Danny who still hadn't gotten used to running in combat boots.

Sam and Tucker each grabbed an arm and pulled him up doing their best to dust him off. Danny groaned and fixed his bag that was swung over his shoulder.

"You might just look like a klutz today Sam."

"Don't worry about it Danny, I already look like I got hit by a truck." Sam attempted to reassure him while checking to see if her makeup was smeared because it was now a solid fact that Danny couldn't reapply it.

"You'd think after overshadowing people so often he'd be good at this." Tucker noted just as they arrived at school.

"You'd think after having my body for a day already he'd be good at this." Sam added under her breath and after a few goodbyes they immediately took off in their directions.

Danny didn't have to worry about falling so much when he was packed against a hoard of students or a wall where ever he went. Cries and cheers were being heard from every direction, and try as they might the teachers couldn't organize this chaos. He finally made it to Mr. Lancer's class and slipped in Sam's seat after pausing to think about it.

Mr. Lancer eyed him when he walked in and asked the standard question indicating the mark on his face. "Don't ask," Danny said after reciting this before school, "Just a really stupid accident on my part." The ran into a door excuse was getting old.

He wasn't sure about it though, but for most everyone it worked at least until he stopped in the girls bathroom after school. Paulina was there applying makeup and Danny stared for a second before shaking it off and washing his hands.

"How'd you get the bruise—some type of freak goth ritual." Paulina never even turned to look at him but laughed. "Shame they didn't kill you—it'd like be a service to the world."

"No," Danny said as a standard response trying to think of some comeback but he never really was gone after by Paulina.

"Whatever just go away with your loser boyfriend—I'm tired of seeing your face."

'Ouch,' was all Danny could think for a second 'Sam really was right. Paulina defiantly is a witch to her.'

"S---Danny's not my boyfriend! And we're not losers!" He finally retorted in a very Samish response.

Paulina put down the pink lip gloss and turned toward him.

"But you like him don't you!" She said in a tone that clearly stated she wasn't asking this to be nice.

Danny, flabbergasted, totally phased out for a moment. Sam like him? Did she?

"Well little Mss. Gothika he'll never go out with you anyway as long as I walk these halls."

"You don't even like him! And he doesn't go out with people that are completely nasty to his best friends!" Danny's raised his voice and clenched his fists.

He was seeing Paulina in a whole new light and this one was red that displayed flames and floating chibi devils in the background. And maybe since they swapped bodies a little bit of Sam had rubbed off on him.

"Are you sure about that?" She grinned manically.

Paulina strode out of the bathroom swaying her hips and sent a triumphant glance back at Danny. Sam had been waiting for him outside the girls bathroom flipping through a few pages from her English book. She'd hope she made Danny's grade practical but she knew he wouldn't have a problem passing the class now. The only one she had trouble in was the class she didn't share with him, but even that she'd managed to wing and she was proud of herself. At least until the Latin high school queen stopped in front of her and that emotion faded quick enough.

"Hey Danny," Paulina cooed batting her eyes in a fashion Sam had seen all to often—just never directed at her. "I was wondering if you wanted to go to the Nasty Burger with me today?"

"Um…" Sam panicked.

She was in Danny's body and had to play the part but this is Paulina—the girl she was hoping Danny would tear down since she'd ever met her! But….she couldn't ruin a chance for Danny since it wasn't her choice to make. So she just had to wing the part and die on the inside while imagine strangling Paulina to death. Yep.

"I guess I—"

"He is not going out with you!" Danny suddenly appeared next to her so quick she jumped.

The Latin queen stared ice daggers at Danny, well thinking it was Sam and snapped, "Let him answer for himself freak."

Sam slowly took this in. Danny didn't want to go out with Paulina? If it was just because of this confusing situation he wouldn't have said it like that.

"I'm not going out with you." Sam repeated feeling stupid.

Paulina's eyes narrowed to near slits and her cheeks flushed. A bit of a crowd was stopping to watch this and she was not going to be told off by two geeks.

"Why don't you let him think for himself!" She bit off and looked back toward Sam in Danny's body, "I know you like me Danny."

Danny grabbed Sam's hand feeling totally frustrated by the whole situation. Sure he could have thought it out more but he was serious when he said he wasn't going to go out with someone that was nasty to his best friends….well that wasn't entirely true—just now that he saw it from Sam's side.

"He can't go out with you," Danny said yanking Sam closer to him. "He is already going out with me!"

Sam thought it was lucky she didn't pass out right then. She was already going out with Danny? Since when—

Danny squeezed her hand tighter begging her to play along. He didn't know if Sam really like him, and if she did he wasn't sure he could ever find the nerve to ask her out. 'Since when did you start liking your best friend?' He asked himself but found no answer.

"Yeah, it's true. D—Sam and I are going out so the answer is no." Sam said attempting not to turn red but didn't bother to hid the smile.

She would have liked to curse Paulina out for good measure but she had to play Danny…dang he didn't know how to have fun sometimes. Paulina huffed and turned to walk away but not before knocking shoulders with Danny.

"You'll regret this geek." She said before storming off.

After the incident ended the crowd quickly dispersed leaving a very awkward couple standing their in the wake.

"I think I made you a new mortal enemy." Danny muttered rubbing the back of his neck.

Sam tried to catch his eye but he wouldn't look her way. Did he just do that to scare away Paulina? Or was he serious?

"Don't worry, it can't get much worse than it already is." She reasoned thankful for Tucker who ran over to the two.

"I missed the big hookup!" He said snapping his fingers for effect.

"If that is what you'd call a hookup. Not real traditional Danny."

Danny shrugged giving a half smile. "I guess now that the whole school thinks we're dating we are kind of locked in. So Sam," He tried to pull anything out of his head and when it seemed like he had no ideas but he managed to pull something off, "How about we don't disappoint them?"

Sam grinned while vaguely thinking if she saw that colonial witch right now she would hug the hell out of her in a totally un-gothish thing to do.

"Sure," She said but was cut off when she felt weightless for a second, and then the world was twirling in front of her.

The lights vanished and the next thing she was aware of was being pressed against a very cold surface from the back and sides of her current body. She took a sharp breath, her hands darting out to the sides to feel the new dimensions of her prison. Her heart was pounding—well at least that was until she heard Tucker laughing hysterically and Danny asking her if she okay.

'Great,' Sam reminded herself quite irritated, 'Danny's ghost powers. Phased straight into a friggin' locker. Shoving kids in one of these are inhumane.'

Sam sighed for a second then leaned forward in what small space she had.

"A little help?" She asked in an almost inaudible pleading voice.

Tucker tried to say something but was drown out by his own laughs. He did say something about 'the made my day' and Sam would keep that in mind next time he needed something.

"Sam," Danny moved toward the locker so only she and maybe Tucker could hear him, "Not our locker. You need to phase out." He waited for a moment after checking the halls. It was empty—well one of the last days of school, whom expected anyone to stay? Part of him knew he should have tried to teach Sam the basics of his power but he was way too distracted.

Tucker's dying laughs were the only noise for a moment before Sam let out a cut off yell.

"Sam?" He knocked on the locker officially becoming worried.

Tucker even stopped his streak and walked up behind the Danny.

Meanwhile Sam had done her best to focus her power's on the inside of the locker. At first she only managed to go invisible but then sink into the floor. She was sinking into what felt like quick sand and realizing what was wrong she let out a yell but plunged into a cold darkness.

'I'm in the ground.' She figured feeling around tentatively. This was cool, this was really neat just like flying was but it also scared the hell out of her. What if she became solid while she was still down here? How did she get out? It was a lot different when she had Danny there doing it for her.

Sam closed her eyes and focused on floating backwards feeling the coldness like a changing draft around her. Finally when she figured she cleared the lockers she willed herself up. The light nearly blinded her but she slowly took in her surroundings. She was in the cafeteria and still invisible. Being it was empty she let go of her powers and hit the ground. Cool, disturbing as hell, but wicked nonetheless. She smiled focusing her power again to run through the wall and then she trekked a short distance down the hall to where Danny and Tucker were. Danny immediately saw her and a wave of relief crossed her face. Tucker on the other hand didn't even notice she was there.

Sam had a devilish idea pop into her head. Lets just say, revenge is sweet.

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The trio stopped under the cool shade of the tree and collapsed beneath it.

"So your saying a ghost did this to Sam…I mean Danny." Tucker had to rethink the names for a second before glancing back up at Danny and the bruise that adorned his cheek.

"Yeah, it came after Sam for whatever reason. You might be in danger too." Danny had dropped down next to Tucker and leaned against the rough bark of the tree. He'd been thinking about the ghost for awhile now. If it had gone after Sam to get to him, why wouldn't it go after Tucker.

"I dunno man, I'm leaving tomorrow after school for vacation before the crowds. It wouldn't know where to hunt me down. Chances are it will probably just go after Sam again."

"Yeah," Danny said suddenly sounding more miserable than ever, "I was afraid of that."

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I hope I didn't bomb it with that hook up scene. As you can tell, I'm not real good at them and it was even harder to make it seem semi realisitic. The grammar is a bit off in this chapter but I've seriously been gone or busy and this has been haunting me. However, I should have the rest of this posted before January 5th next year.


	6. Unhappy reunion

Silver Dust

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this.

Empathy is something they try to teach everyone but when Danny and Sam swap bodies neither of them were ready for this. D/S

Chapter 6: Unhappy reunion

Sam had been having a very pleasant day so far regardless of falling in a locker or what not. She had a new boyfriend—well kinda, and managed to scare Tucker so bad he ran straight into a wall. The three best friends walked out together and Danny told the tale of what had happened the night before. Sam added in a word here or there but let Danny tell the rest.

The trio stopped under the cool shade of the tree and collapsed beneath it.

"So your saying a ghost did this to Sam…I mean Danny." Tucker had to rethink the names for a second before glancing back up at Danny and the bruise that adorned his cheek.

"Yeah, it came after Sam for whatever reason. You might be in danger too." Danny had dropped down next to Tucker and leaned against the rough bark of the tree. He'd been thinking about the ghost for awhile now. If it had gone after Sam to get to him, why wouldn't it go after Tucker?

"I dunno man, I'm leaving tomorrow after school for vacation before the crowds. It wouldn't know where to hunt me down. Chances are it will probably just go after Sam again."

"Yeah," Danny said suddenly sounding more miserable than ever, "I was afraid of that."

Tucker pulled out his P.D.A. and began typing in a description hoping he could pull something up on the colonial ghost. Sam glanced at it over his shoulder but then leaned back against the tree next to Danny.

"Don't worry about it man, you've survived worse." Tucker said with half his attention on his best friend, the other surfing the web.

Danny nodded trying to put his worries back at bay. He was staring at the tips of his boots thinking out what they would do if the ghost did attack again. Sam couldn't control his powers very well and that would be Danny's only chance. That and maybe the Specter Deflector. He made a mental note to grab that when they went by his house but snapped out of his trance when Sam reached out and grasped his hand.

He looked up, shocked at first but then smiled at her. He'd always figured he didn't like Sam, well not 'didn't like her' but as nothing more than a best friend. He'd always had those instances which it seemed like a possibility up but until about two hours ago he figured Sam as A.F.T(absolutely forbidden territory). And now, well he wasn't regretting this asking Sam out thing at all.

Before he had to say anything or could think of anything say Tucker called them finding a useful page. Sam squeezed his hand and turned away to look on the P.D.A. doing her best not to have one of those goofy smiles that people get when they are in love…. 'One step at a time Manson, you and Danny haven't talked straight to each other yet. Not even a date yet. One step at a time.'

"Let's see," Sam read leaning over Tucker's shoulder, "1800 witch…. silver dust. That's it. Wow, how convenient."

Danny inched forward to hear them and Tucker skimmed through and read out some important parts.

"The body change reverts back when the purpose has been completed…purpose? Any idea what they are talking about Dan?"

"Not a clue," Danny said. 'Great, the news keeps getting better' He added in mentally, 'This is probably going to end up as a trip to the ghost zone and finding out the hard way.'

"I should go pack, but I'll email you guys if I find anything." Danny tuned back in in time to hear Tucker talking.

Sam immediately stood and offered to walk him home but he declined muttering something about the new couple. Both of them felt the absence weigh down. They never had a problem being alone together, but now it was a whole different game.

"Danny," Sam bit down on her tongue in effort to calm herself and she reached out and grabbed his hand. "Mind if we stop by my house for a hour, I just have to pick up a book."

The Manson's staff left at seven a clock sharp unless directed otherwise and only kept on three lights that did nothing to pierce the overwhelming darkness in the large rooms.

"Danny, answer it!" Sam panicked looking at the cell phone. Her parents had been calling for a good five minutes and if she picked up in Danny's body they would flip out.

Danny snapped out of his trance of staring off into the darkness and shot a distressed look at her. "What? Why me?"

Sam raised an eyebrow and Danny reluctantly took the phone. He'd known Sam for awhile, maybe he could pull off something.

"Hello?"

"Samantha dear, it's Mommy. Honey, I've got some bad news." Sam leaned closer and Danny turned up the volume so they could both hear.

"What's….wrong Mom." Did Sam even call her mother mom, or mommy or something? He'd never cared to notice but Sam didn't even bother looking up.

"Something came up and we won't manage to be back for another month later than we planned, but we ordered you something that should be there tomorrow."

"Okay…" Danny struggle for words considering he'd never had his parents just leave him like that. Sam meet his eye for a moment and he couldn't read anything in them. For the first time he wondered if it bothered her that her parents left like that. It was one thing when she had a weekend to herself, but a month?

"…and keep away from that Fenton kid."

Danny snapped the phone shut and gave a laugh.

"I should have told you it isn't hard to talk to them. One sided conversation." Sam told him accepting the phone back.

Danny had a question he figured he shouldn't ask, but before he could think once again, words came tumbling out.

"Does it bother you that they do that?"

Sam made a face at him for a second before figuring out what he meant. Her lips made a small 'o' shape and she looked away for a second.

"It used to, especially when they missed my birthdays and stuff but it doesn't really bother me anymore."

Danny reached out and wrapped his arms around her in a small hug only finding it slightly unusual since he was in Sam's body. Sam was taken off guard at first but then returned it.

"Is this a pity hug Danny?"

"No, this is just to prove that statement about staying away from that Fenton kid wrong." They both broke it off a second later and Sam added in the note that they had to still go to the ghost zone. Danny just shrugged without responding realizing just how close they were. Maybe a foot away…and Sam was officially his girlfriend. He wasn't the best at this, but 'it's now or never Fenton' he figured.

Sam laughed a little but closed her eyes and leaned forward. Danny met her half way and their lips barely touched until Danny put his hands on her hips to close the distance. Fireworks where shooting off in Sam's head. She didn't care if the world died around her, she was already lost in her own. The kiss was sweet with only gentle pressure but it was meaningful. Not a fake out make out, not a bet, a real kiss with real emotions behind it. 'About frikkin' time!' Sam screamed in her mind and tried not to goof up.

Danny was distracted as well banishing any what if's about Sam considering the only thing he could think of was Sam. Sam. Sam. Sam, who would have thought he ended up liking his best friend?—well, don't answer that. Though the moment was beautiful it was a shame they didn't notice the ghost which had once more invited itself in.

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Sam awoke slowly with a pounding headache. Well, no—pounding was such a nice word. It would be more accurate to say she woke up with a migraine that felt like someone was sporadically smashing the sides of her skull in with the back side of a hammer. She batted her eyes for a second trying to clear them of fuzz and dirt conjunctionally realizing that the room was pitch black.

'Great,' Sam though, 'just when my day was going good.'

She might have been able to be convinced she was in her room until she felt the bounds around her wrists and the gag in her mouth. Definitely not at home. She did the best she could to sit up tugging at the unseen chains as much as she could. A bright light flickered on illuminating the room so much she had to close her eyes.

"Long time no see Danny Phantom," He spit the last two words out with disgust, "Getting in our way again?"

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The beginning of the end everyone. The beginning of the end. Two more chapters! I'm telling you I'm not good at these romance scenes, but thanks for the support I got in the reviews. You peeps are the best. Until the next update-- One Thousand Ways


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